Energies and Affections: Aunt Denise Gets Married, Part 2

With the big day is finally here, we set ourselves to preparing for the bridegroom. "She clothes herself with strength and dignity" is well the best thing to be adorned with but sometimes a little blush and mascara is called for.

Thus the takeover of two entire bathrooms. For just the women. We were all fine with that.

Denise's friend, Bobbi, who is wearing the blue shirt, did up Denise. Her daughter, Amber, is doing Tia's hair. Bobbi ought to be sainted for somehow getting curls, hairspray, foundation, blush, eye makeup and lipstick on Denise. It's no secret that dear Aunt Denise likes to keep her skin free and clear but she knew this was an extra special occasion for her beloved and decided to she could doll up for him.

I'd say she dolls up very nicely.

Tayla took time too.

Now this is the little flower girl. She is a very sweet thing and pulled the flower girl part off with perfect poise. I asked her if she was excited to get to wear make-up and she said "Very."

Same song, second bathroom.

I had Audrey do my hair at our hotel and then I finished up once we got to the church. Then I walked into the first bathroom, Bobbi took a look at my make-up and gave me some pointers and then touched me up a bit. She later apologized profusely that she was so forward and frank with me. Hah! If you know me for five minutes, forward and frank is my middle name. I felt as if we were kindred spirits with make-up being our eternal bond. (Anne Shirley, anyone?)

And here's what she told me: Anchor the eye. Well, that's how I interpreted it. I needed more mascara, a firmer line across my eye, a smidge more eye shadow and I needed to fill in my brows. Now this was something I had been recently thinking about and she just confirmed it. I would say the amount of makeup I wore was more than normal but just like we reassured Denise (and also what my mother had told me on my wedding day) a little more was better. You don't want to look undone. (My mom has probably fallen off her seat by now after reading what I just said.)

Same song, no bathroom.
Just kidding.

Bill's dad asked us if we would be able to do Mom's makeup. Sure. Then we discovered he didn't bring any of her makeup. (But really, in the long list of things he had to arrange for himself and for her, forgetting makeup is the very least of them. Besides, between Bobbi and I, we had plenty.) Tia did up Mom's hair and I took on the makeup.

Here's a fact: While I apparently have spent enough time perusing beauty blogs to know about filling in eyebrows, I know NOTHING about properly applying lipstick. I didn't get that far in my research. It's even harder to apply it to someone else.

You can tell by now that we have moved outside for pictures. It was an overcast day but not chilly. Roy has friends who own this carriage and two beautiful horses. The horses were perfectly calm while we climbed in and out.

Family and friends came from far and wide to celebrate.

The story behind the story. A wedding photographer is no walk in the park. This lady worked up a sweat (but we couldn't tell).

Roy's sister also stood up with Denise.

Luke's suit? It's too much. He is too much. And his dad is too much! Bill took good care of getting Luke in his suit and to where he needed to be. It's a good thing too because once I got to the church, I left him to fend for himself and the boys.